Lentil flatbread

Blender Alert

These are a lazy way of making dosas, which require a particular type of split lentil (urad dal) and fermenting overnight, in a warm place, which often isn’t practical when voyaging. Unfortunately, they do need a blender. In due course, I’ll have a recipe for chickpea flour flatbreads that don’t need one. I have tried making these by grinding the lentils to make flour, but they weren't as successful as using the soaked lentils in this recipe.

These ‛flatbreads’ are halfway between a roti and a thick pancake, but are great hot or cold and excellent to serve with any sort of spread, pâté or dip, including some of the chutneys you will find on this blog. This recipe has minimal seasoning, so as not to compete with whatever you are serving them with, but fenugreek seeds are often used in traditional recipes, so I have included them.

I find the 150 mm/6 inch frying pan I use for tempering spices is perfect for cooking these flatbreads. Any pan that you trust for pancakes will be correct for these.

Makes 8 flatbreads

Ingredients

 

1/2 cup moong dal OR split red lentil

1 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

 1/2 tsp baking powder

oil

 

Method:

• Put the dal into the blender jug and add the water, fenugreek and salt.
• Add baking powder if you want a fluffier flatbread.
• Leave to soak for at least an hour. (Use hot water to speed things up, if necessary).
• Once the dal is well-soaked, blend everything into a smooth, thick batter. If it’s still a bit gritty, leave for another quarter of an hour and then blend again.
• Heat the pan and when you think it’s hot enough, dribble a drop of batter into it. It should instantly start to set.
• If you think it may need it, add a tiny amount of oil to your pan and swirl it around. Now add 2 tbsp batter, tipping the pan so that it covers the base, or spreads itself into a 150 mm/6 inch disc.
• Cook until the surface looks dry and then flip the flatbread or turn it using a spatula. Cook for another half minute or so and move to a plate.
• Add a little more oil if necessary and then continue cooking all the batter until it’s used up.

Notes:

• The flatbreads can be kept warm in a low oven, if you have one, or between two warmed plates.
• These flatbreads are equally good warm or cold. To reheat them, stack them in your frying pan and cover with a lid. Put them over a low heat. After a few minutes, turn the stack over. The heat should spread through all of them.

Variations:

• Add coriander, cumin, nigella, chilli, or any other spice that takes your fancy to add more flavour.
• Omit the fenugreek and use herbs such as oregano or rosemary, and use instead of bread or rolls.
• Add a generous amount of garlic to the batter, and drizzle the warm flatbread with a well-flavoured olive oil before serving.

Split lentil and carrot soup

The sweetness of carrots marries well with lentils and lemon, and the soup comes out a very pretty orange colour. This recipe is intended for a starter – main course lentil soup is generally thicker than this.

Use 1/3 seawater to 2/3 fresh, if the sea is clean, and leave out the salt.

 

Serves 4 as a starter

Ingredients

 

1 large onion 

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp crushed coriander seeds

3 carrots

3/4 cup split lentils

4 cups water/stock

2 tbsp lemon juice

salt and pepper

Method:

• Dice the onion.
• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and add the onion. Cover and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, dice the carrots, scraping them if necessary. Add the coriander and cook for a further minute, then add the carrots and lentils and stir well.
• Pour in the water and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Cover, lower the heat and cook for 25 minutes, by which time the lentils should have disintegrated and the carrots should be completely softened. Give them a little longer, if necessary.
• Take off the heat and mash into a purée, using a potato masher or a stick blender. Add the lemon juice and season to taste. Add a little more lemon if you prefer it to be slightly sharper.
• Reheat before serving.

Variations:

• A tbsp of tomato purée makes a pleasant change.
• Add a swirl of cream to each bowl.
• Use lime or orange juice instead of the lemon.
• Garnish with some twists of the appropriate peel.

Split lentil soup

Warming, filling, nutritious and comforting: lentil soup is one of my favourites. It’s also very quick to make and is ideal for lunch or as a starter when unexpected guests arrive and you have to spread your dinner further than anticipated!

Use 1/3 seawater to 2/3 fresh, if the sea is clean, and leave out the salt.

 

Serves 4 to 6 as a starter, 2 for a main course

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil OR butter
1 onion 

1 cup split red lentils 

4 cups water 

2 tbsp lemon juice 

salt and pepper

Method:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan or pressure cooker. Chop the onion and cook it for about 5 minutes until it has started to brown.
• Stir in the lentils, add the water and bring to the boil. If you are using the pressure cooker, cook it for 5 minutes; if cooking conventionally, simmer for about 20 minutes.
• Reduce pressure naturally. Using a potato masher or stick blender, purée the soup. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper and add the lemon juice. Serve piping hot.

• Variations: 
• Add 1/2 tsp cumin and a garlic clove with the onion.
• Chop a carrot and cook it with the onion.
• For a delicious, quick Curried Lentil Soup, add one garlic clove and some diced fresh ginger to the onion while it’s frying. Stir in 2 tsp curry powder/paste just before adding the lentils. Serve with chapatis.

 Note:

• You can make this soup thicker and more substantial by adding another 1/2 cup of lentils.
  

Lentil and harissa pâté

This is a really good pâté, that I invented one Christmas. The harissa gives it an unusual flavour, without making it too overpowering.

Serves 4 or more as a dip or starter

 

1/2 cup split lentils

1/2 onion, diced finely

1 cup water

chilli flakes to taste

1/4 tsp garlic granules

1 tsp harissa seasoning

1 tbsp ground flax seed 

salt and generous grind black pepper

1 tbsp tomato purée

1 tbsp lemon juice

 

Method: 

• Add the lentils, onion, water, chilli and garlic to a pan. Cover and cook over a low heat until the lentils are soft and the water absorbed.
• Remove from the heat and add the harissa and the ground flax seed. Mix thoroughly. The flax seed adds a bit of body: if you prefer the pâté to be softer, omit it.
• Add the tomato purée and lemon juice and let the mixture cool before serving with bread or crackers.

Lentil spread

This is a simple, basic spread for when you want something for sandwiches or crackers and have nothing more special to hand. Like most basic recipes, it’s capable of many variations. This can also be used as a filling for a pasty.

Serves 4 

 

1tbsp olive oil

1 small onion

1 garlic clove

1/ 2 cup split red lentils

1 cup water

1/2 tsp sage

2 tsp lemon juice

salt and pepper

Method:

• Heat the oil in a small saucepan and dice the onion and garlic.
• Add them to the pan and cook until softened – about five minutes.
• Add the lentils, stirring them until they’re covered in oil, and then add the water.
• Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 – 25 minutes until all the water is absorbed.
• Remove from the heat and beat in the sage and lemon juice until you get a smooth purée. Season with salt and pepper and allow to cool.

Variations:

• Substitute cumin for the sage.
• Leave out the sage and add 1 tsp curry paste.
• Beat in 1/2 cup of finely grated cheese, while the mixture is still warm.
• Add some hot sauce to the mix.
• Add 1 tbsp tomato purée and try various other herbs.
• Add a little chopped, fresh ginger with the onion and garlic.
• Add half a diced green pepper with the onion and garlic.
• If you have some fresh mushrooms, add three or four of these with the onion and garlic.